CHENNAI: Indian govt is set to establish its first dedicated marine export zones (MEZs) as special economic zones (SEZs) to strengthen the country’s seafood exports ecosystem, with investments of around $1 billion in integrated export infrastructure.The five MEZs, to be developed across coastal Tamil Nadu as a pilot initiative, will serve as integrated clusters comprising feed mills, hatcheries, aquaculture farms, seafood processing units, cold storage facilities, packaging centres, export logistics infrastructure, and marine ancillary MSMEs. The project is being spearheaded by the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) under the Union ministry of commerce and industry. The proposed MEZs are expected to have an annual export potential of about Rs 32,000 crore and generate employment for 1.4 lakh to 1.8 lakh people, according to officials.

India’s seafood exports on the rise

About 2,500 acres of salt-pan land in Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, and Ramanathapuram districts have been identified for the project. The land is currently owned by the Salt Commissioner’s Organisation (SCO) under the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT). MEPZ has written to DPIIT seeking the transfer of the land to develop the MEZs.“This will be the first set of MEZs to be established in the country. The land parcels offer several advantages, including access to brackish water, a rich coastal ecosystem, potential for integrated farming, and proximity to ports and processing facilities,” an official told TOI. The country exported 19.72 lakh metric tonnes of seafood worth $8.5 billion during 2025-26, the highest ever in terms of both volume and value.